Harold Porter and the Philosopher's Stone
by zalil-z
Summary: What if Dumbledore had decided that the Dursleys' wasn't a suitable home for Harry?
1. The Boy Who Lived

Title: Harold Porter and the Philosopher's Stone

Author: zalil

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Chapter 1 - The Boy Who Lived

In a warm and starlit night Albus Dumbledore was sitting on a large stone in the outer grounds of Hogwarts, gazing at the sky. Behind him another person came up, but he didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall."

He turned around to smile at the rather severe-looking woman that had approached and was now sitting down next to him.

"Good? I am not so sure about that. Although rumour has it that You-Know-Who has disappeared." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: "I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"

"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for."

"And the rumours that are flying around? You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"

Dumbledore did not answer.

"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – dead."

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it.. Oh, Albus..."

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know.. I know..." he said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded glumly.

"It's – it's _true_?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed.. he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

Professor McGonagall pulled put a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes, said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why he is bringing the boy here?"

"I've come to the decision that his aunt and uncle are unsuitable for him to grow up with. They are as mugglish and narrow-minded as people can be. However, it wouldn't do little Harry any good to grow up among strangers either. Therefore I think it would be best if he stayed at Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall looked at him, curious. "And you will be his guardian? I heard that .. his godfather.. Sirius..he was the one who betrayed the Potters?"

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "It seems so. But no, I will not be his guardian, I think I found someone else fitting that position. He will stay with Severus."

"You don't mean – you don't mean – _Severus_?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at the school. "Dumbledore, you can't. You couldn't find a person less capable of raising a child! He is – he is the coldest and most sarcastic person I know! Harry Potter come and live with him!"

"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "We are here too and Severus will be able to explain everything to him when he's older."

"Severus," repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the stone. "Really, Dumbledore, you think Severus will consent to this... arrangement? Why him? Every wizarding family would put Harry up! He will be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter Day in future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"

"Exactly, said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he can't even remember! Can't you see how better off he'll be, growing up where we can keep him away from all that until he is ready to know, where we are to explain everything to him?"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, "Well – well, I can see your point but the fact stays that I don't trust Severus with a little child. I shall look after Harry as often as I can." Suddenly another thought occurred to her. "But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suspiciously as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.

A rumbling sound drowned Dumbledore's answer and swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the grass in front of them.

If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

"Hagrid," Dumbledore greeted him, sounding relieved. "At last. Where did you get that motorbike?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Found it on the street, I'm going to take it back later. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir, house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where - ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above the left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well, we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and stood up. "Hagrid, go and spread the happy news that Harry is alive, but whoever asks, tell them the boy lives with his relatives."

Hagrid nodded and returned to the motorbike. The loud rumbling started again and as quickly as Hagrid had come, he disappeared again.

Quietly, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked up to the castle.

When they had arrived in the dungeons, Dumbledore sighed and knocked at the door of Severus Snape's quarters. A strict-looking man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and pale skin opened the door, looked at Dumbledore, McGonagall, the bundle of blankets, Dumbledore again, and slammed the door shut again.

Dumbledore smiled happily. "Well, considering the circumstances it was a rather good reaction, don't you think?" And he knocked again.

A few hours later Harry Potter was contentedly sleeping in a wooden cradle in Snape's living room, Dumbledore and McGonagall were drawing up a list of items for baby care and Severus Snape was sitting on the floor of his working room, silently weeping and cursing himself for not having stayed with the Dark Lord when he had the opportunity to do so. _He_ would never have punished him with a child.

3


	2. The Boy Still Lived

Chapter 2 – The Boy Still Lived

Against all sinister predictions of Professor McGonagall, Snape was very well capable of raising a child. Admittedly, first he had been reluctant to even look at the child and had handled him with magic only, but after some time he found himself restless when Minerva took the little one out for a walk and discovered that he had sort of become fond of the brat.

Daily, at least one member of the staff came to visit Harry to make sure he was all right and to spoil him with sweets and magical toys (Snape destroyed them immediately once the visitors were out of sight).

Harry seemed to be happy with Snape, too. Harry's first words were "Wowoo" and "Sevvus", which Snape was very proud of, not because Harry had spoken his name, but because he had correctly pointed at a pile of Wormwood when he had brabbled the first word.

At the age of three, Harry was able to name any potion ingredient Severus knew himself. During the school year, Harry was to stay in Snape's rooms and study or read. He was only allowed to go out in company of a teacher and with a concealment charm over his scar, the reason for which of course he didn't understand but he complied without any question. Harry knew that Severus wasn't his father and neither was Dumbledore, but he had given up asking about his parents, just as asking about his scar. The adults always told him that he was too young to know.

When he became five, Harry was allowed to go out alone for the first time and he took great delight in hiding somewhere in Hagrid's hut and jumping out at the right moment, scaring Hagrid half to death each time. He had become a right little Slytherin. At least twice a day he caused trouble, be it for testing which potion ingredients reacted explosive with each other or sneaking into Aunt Minnie's office and setting a pile of third-year tests on fire.

Snape regarded all this wordlessly and let Harry write yet another essay about the properties of moonstone and its use in the middle ages for punishment, but what he didn't know was that Harry enjoyed studying potions. He could not imagine what it would be like not to live among wizards. Once or twice he had heard Uncle Albus talk about 'muggles', which seemed to be people without magic, but then, Harry thought, they wouldn't be able to brew potions or do those great things Aunt Minnie could do with her wand (and that he would be able to do, too one day, as Severus had told him) and it was out of question that everybody could do that, so he must have misheard what Albus had said.

"Severus?" Harry whined, throwing himself across Snape's lap, effectively concealing the book he had been trying to read.

"What is it now?" he grumbled, but Harry saw that he wasn't really angry with him, just tired and exhausted from teaching.

Harry sat up and looked him straight in the face. Today he was determined to get a proper answer to his question.

"When can I go to classes like everybody else?" Harry asked expectantly.

Snape sighed and lifted him up, retrieving the book and setting it down on the table. Then he turned back to Harry.

"When you are at least as tall as the other students are." he repeated the answer to Harry's usual question once again. And Harry seemed to just have waited for this answer. He grinned broadly.

"Ha! Today I've found a boy that's even smaller than I am! So that means I can go, too?"

Snape rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "No, you can't. Students aren't accepted at Hogwarts until they are eleven. You are seven and currently behaving like a three-year old."

Harry screwed up his nose. "So I have to wait four more years?"

"Yes."

Harry still didn't give up. "But I'm bored, nearly all day long I have to study and when I go out I always have to stay out of the children's way. That's no fun."

Snape pondered any occupation for Harry but the only playmate he could come up with was Lucius Malfoy's son, Draco, and he had tried to keep the two of them apart as hard as he could. He still didn't trust Lucius, the bastard, and wouldn't bring Harry in danger by telling Lucius that he lived here. On the other hand, Hogwarts was quite safe... He'd have to think about that again. For now another thing came to his mind.

Slowly he got up, placing Harry on the sofa, and put the book back to its place.

"Would you like to go on a trip to muggle London tomorrow?" he asked, already dreading the noises of glee Harry would make. And too right he did.

Laughing and shouting he jumped around on the sofa. He had never been to muggle London before! By now of course he knew that there were non-magic people but he still couldn't understand how they managed their lives.

Still grinning madly, Harry darted to Snape and hugged him. A few years ago Snape would have hexed him off and run away screaming but now he only pried off Harry's fingers and pushed him towards his bedroom, mumbling something uncomprehensible about children, Dumbledore and vendetta.

The next day Snape woke at five o' clock, alerted by the silently creaking sound of the door of his bedroom. He heard a pair of small feet tapping on the cold stone floor towards his bed and lit his wand, just to see a happily grinning, fully clothed Harry come into view. He was presenting a tray laden with food, undoubtedly the work of an overenthusiastic house elf.

"What is it?" Snape yawned, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Harry looked at him reproachfully. "You said we were going to London today!" he sang.

"Not at five o'clock..." Snape objected and pulled the covers over his head. Harry set down the tray and crawled in beside him. "Pleeeeeaase!" he begged, trying to push down the covers.

"You promised!"

Finally Harry agreed to lie still and let Snape sleep just one more hour if they went to the zoo later. Harry was happy with that, although he wasn't quite sure what a zoo was.

At ten o'clock and after much more fighting they were finally ready to go. The travelled by floo powder, which was always an exciting experience for Harry because it was so mysterious and so dangerous and Snape was always so concerned that something might happen to Harry, but as usual they made it unharmed to the Leaky Cauldron. Snape steered him straightly out, he didn't want to get involved in a conversation, lest someone ask who Harry was.

Harry had been trained to tell people that his name was Harold Porter, nevertheless Snape was anxious that someone might recognize him.

When they had left the pub they packed away their robes and Harry proudly presented his new muggle clothes. Snape had even allowed him to choose a red shirt, something that occurred not often as he despised the Gryffindors. Harry didn't mind them, he liked the change of colour, usually he was permitted only black and green robes.

Excitedly, Harry zoomed around between the shopwindows, pulling Snape with him to show him 'a lentivator!' and Snape had to go and explain that the muggles used them instead of Cooling Charms. "Not so stupid, the muggles, are they?" Harry asked then, already mesmerized by yet another wonder of the non-magic world.

When at last they entered a book shop, Snape let Harry run to the children's books and amused himself strolling along a shelf about 'Esotericism and Magic'.

When Harry finally found a shelf that looked remotely interesting to him he opened a random book, just to find out that the pictures were frozen.

"Severus!" he called loudly, surprised that the pictures in other books didn't move either. Suddenly a little girl with lots of bushy hair and a brace stormed around the corner.

"Do you mind?" she snapped and regarded him haughtily. "I want to read."

In the girl's hands was a book whose title said something like 'Chemisty' and the pictures looked vaguely like potions. Harry was sure that he didn't like this girl but Severus had taught him not judge people by their appearances.

"Hi. What is your book about?" Harry asked her shyly. He seemed to have said the right thing because suddenly she was talking and talking about certain substances and how they had to be mixed and so on and Harry honestly didn't know how to stop her. She told him at least half of what was standing in the book, he was sure of it.

When she made a small pause to catch her breath he interrupted her.

"So basically this is just like potions, only without magic?" One second after he had said this he regretted it already. Snape had told him not to talk about magic in front of muggles, but this girl hadn't seemed as stupid as the others. But now she was looking curiously at him.

"You don't honestly still believe in magic? I mean, how old are you?"

Harry was really irritated now. He wished Severus would come and show her magic, all right.

But Severus had disappeared. No one to consult here.

"No, of course I don't," Harry changed tactics. "But I mean, in theory..?"

"In theory, yes. By the way, what's your name?" she asked, a bit friendlier.

"Harold Porter, but everybody calls me Harry. And yours?"

"Granger Hermione." She turned around and sat down at one of the tables. Harry followed her and sat beside her. Suddenly something came to his mind.

"Are you big enough to go to school?" he asked her curiously.

Surprised, she turned her big eyes towards him. "I've been going to school for two years." she said proudly. "I'm best in my year."

"Wow.." Harry was jealous of her. He was at least as tall as she was!

"Don't you go to school?" Hermione asked back.

Harry shook his head. "Severus says I must wait until I am eleven. He teaches me now. He's nice, but I'd like to see other children too.."

The girl seemed astounded by the idea of not going to school. "That must be boring... Why do you call your father Severus?"

"He is not my father," Harry corrected. "My parents died when I was very small, but he won't tell me how."

"I'm sorry..." Hemione was at a loss of words.

"It's all right. I never even knew them."

Hermione looked for a moment at him and then pulled him to a corner behind a bookshelf.

"Do you really believe in magic?" she asked, almost pleadingly. Harry didn't know what this was all about but he understood that an honest answer was called for. He nodded slowly.

The girl sighed, relieved. "See, we had a test on the geography of Scotland last Monday, and I couldn't remember the name of the third most important city. So I thought about a map, and suddenly a map of Scotland flew from the cupboard to me and opened and I could read it all!" she hastily told him, terrified of what had happened. "I didn't tell anyone else, because I knew they wouldn't believe me, but you do, don't you?"

Harry smiled. Maybe she wasn't that bad after all. Could it be that she was a witch?

"I believe you!" he assured her. "I can let my hair grow about three inches overnight!" he told her smugly.

"Harry!" a deep voice suddenly called. Harry realised that they were still standing behind the shelf, so he hurried outside. Snape was standing in front of him, suspiciously looking behind Harry.

"I thought I heard you talking about magic...?" he said.

Harry stepped to the side and let Hermione come out of their hiding place.

"Yes, I was. It's okay. That's Hermione – she's also a witch." Harry explained.

Snape glared at her. "Where are your parents?" he questioned her.

"At home. Where are your parents?" she snapped back. Harry was astounded. Most people were afraid of Severus but if Hermione was, she hid it quite well. Looking cautiously at Severus, he saw that Severus was hiding a grin. He liked that girl too.

"How did you come here when your parents are at home?" Snape asked.

"By the London Underground." Hermione answered in the same icy voice.

"Rubbish. Little children like you can't travel alone by the Underground."

"I can." Hermione put her book onto the nearest table and waved at Harry. "Good bye, Harry!"

"Where is she going?" Harry asked, concerned. If Severus said she couldn't go by Underground alone, then she couldn't. Why wouldn't she listen?

"I suppose to the London Underground," Snape answered dryly. "Come on, let's go, too."

The zoo turned out to be a boring park with a lot of boring animals. Only the reptiles could draw Harry's interest at themselves. Patiently, Snape explained the name, origin and characteristics of each snake, until they arrived at one snake Snape didn't know.

"What's this one called?" Harry asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know."

"Where does it come from?"

"I _don't_ know."

"What can it do?"

"Ask the snake."

For a second Harry pondered if Snape was making fun of him, but why should he?  
So Harry bent down to the eye-level of the snake and spoke.

"Hi! My name is Harry, and who are you?" To his surprise the snake opened its eyes and answered.

"Greetingssss, human boy. My name is Hasssan.."

"And where do you come from? Was it nice there?" Harry asked, intruiged.

"Ssssspain...Very niccce micccce there..." the snake hissed, then closed its eyes again and curled up. Harry turned around to find Snape staring at him. "You're a parseltongue." Snape said.

"I'm a what?"

So Snape explained what exactly he was, dreading the answer to the question why Harry could talk to snakes.


	3. Finally Student

Chapter 3 – Finally Student

When Harry finally turned eleven the Headmaster called him, Severus and Professor McGonagall (he had to call them by their proper names now) to a meeting. In the meeting they explained all about Voldemort, his parents and himself. Suddenly everything made sense to him: the change of his name to Porter, the Concealment Charm on his scar... Nevertheless he couldn't believe that he should have been the one to destroy Voldemort.

Well, as long as he wasn't expected to do it again he was comfortable with it.

Harry counted the days until school started. On the day after his birthday they went to Diagon Alley, to buy his school equipment. For the first time Harry was allowed a wand – owning one felt a lot different than just holding Severus' wand – and Severus could barely keep him from hexing radom people on the streets. After that they visited the Magical Menagerie, where Snape got Harry an owl for his birthday. It was a beautiful black eagle-owl. Harry named it Balthazar.

Finally Snape went to Knockturn Alley to get a few rare potion ingredients after dropping off Harry at Madam Malkins.

Madam Malkins was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here – another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long, black robes. Madam Malkins stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hullo," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Hi, yeah." Harry answered.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy.

"I already got my wand," Harry triumphed and produced his new wand from his pocket. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches."

The other boy seemed jealous. "Phoenix feathers are supposed to be really powerful, but I guess I'll get a veela hair wand. One of my grandmothers was a veela."

"Really?" Harry was astonished. "Did she eat men?"

"Yes," the boy replied haughtily, "but only those she didn't like.

"I'm going to drag off my parents to look at racing brooms later," the boy changed the topic. "I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully my father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry was reminded of his own efforts to smuggle things into and out of Hogwarts.

"Can't see you succeeding, but good luck nevertheless."

The boy looked surprised at Harry's lack of being impressed.

"Have _you_ got your own broom?" he asked.

"No, though sometimes I can borrow my uncle's broom. Do you play Quidditch?" Harry had been allowed to take part in a Ravenclaw practice session once and Madam Hooch had said that he was really fast, surely a good seeker.

"Of course!" The boy looked almost offended. "Father says it's a crime if I am not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No, but I'd prefer Slytherin or Ravenclaw. I don't think I'd want to be anywhere else.." Harry said.

"Well, no one really knows for sure until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," Harry agreed heartily, he had heard Snape talk about the Hufflepuffs too often to even dare think of the possibility of getting sorted into their house. "I heard they are really stupid and slow, no one in their right mind would want to go to Hufflepuff."

The other boy nodded approvingly. Madam Malkins was finished with him, so he hopped off the footstool and approached Harry. "My name is Draco Malfoy," he introduced himself and offered his hand to Harry, who shook it enthusiastically, glad about having made another friend.

Suddenly Harry realised that he knew the truth about his name now. For the first time in his life he could tell someone his real name, a name that he was proud of. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter." he said and hopped off his stool too.

"_You_ are Harry Potter?" Draco looked at him, amazed. "Well, see you around. I hope we'll meet again in Slytherin!" And off he was out of the door, probably looking for his parents to drag them to _Quality Quidditch Supplies_.

Harry's last month at Hogwarts was not much different than the ten years before. He had been really excited about his school books, but when he realised they were nearly the same books as in the library, his spirits dampened a bit. He already knew half of that stuff, due to all the penalty essays he'd had to write. At least he was able to actually do magic now – as long as nobody caught him.

Also, he had found out why Severus had never told him where he had got that ugly tattoo. Now that he knew he was famous, Harry had looked for information about himself in the library. Reading about Voldemort and his followers he had come across the Dark Mark, the sign of the Death Eaters. So why did Severus have that tattoo? Surely he hadn't been a Death Eater?

When Harry confronted him with his discovery, Severus dashed into a lenghty explanation about why the decision whom to follow was so difficult.

"You know, I was lead on the wrong path very early and didn't realize what was happening until reality showed me that not all is as we want it to be..."

After five minutes Harry had figured out that Severus really had become Death Eater but come crawling to Dumbledore hardly a month later. Harry shut him up by putting his arms around his neck. He could see that Severus had a bad conscience because of the Death Eater thing.

Harry forgave him.

Later, Dumbledore came to visit them in Snape's rooms and announced that Harry was to live with the other boys in the dormitory, a suggestion that they had never thought about, but Harry decided he'd like to move in there as Snape's rooms were really not that big and he'd be able to see Severus any time anyways.

On the last day before the other students arrived and the Sorting started Harry couldn't sit still. At lunch he started asking Severus which questions the Sorting Hat would ask. After tea he dressed in his new school robes and brushed his hair about five times so that it would lie flat. It fought hard but with some help of Severus he finally succeeded in overpowering it and he pushed it down, effectively hiding his scar. He really was a bit afraid of people's reactions to him.

When the older students arrived, Snape sent Harry to the room where the first-years were waiting to be Sorted. Anxiously peering around the door, Harry made out Aunt Min- Professor McGonagall and the blond boy he had met at Madam Malkins.

A bit more confident he stepped in, closed the door behind him and waved his hand at Draco who recognized him at once.

"Hi Harry!" he called, mentioned him nearer and turned back to the two big, dark haired boys he had talked to before. When Harry approached them, he suddenly stumbled over a foot someone had stuck out.

"Watch it," Harry said, irritated. The red-headed boy the foot belonged to and another dark blond boy regarded him arrogantly, pointed at him and talked about him as if he weren't there.

"D'you think he'd make a decent friend?" the red-head asked.

"Nah," the other answered, "look at him.. bet he's just another Slytherin,"

Harry bared his teeth but before he could answer Draco had come over and put himself in front of the boys, back turned towards them.

"Nothing wrong with Slytherin," he smirked at Harry. "By the way, you'd better not not hang around with riff-raff like them," he pointed over his shoulder, "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort of people, do you? I could help you there." And he held out his hand to shake Harry's.

Harry happily took it, glad that someone was on his side. He had the distinct feeling that the red-head was one of the violent, physically brutal sort and he didn't want to pick a fight on his first day. Quickly he pulled Draco back to his two friends. Draco introduced them as Crabbe and Goyle. Harry immediately disliked them. They seemed more like friends of the violent red-head. Hopefully they'd be Sorted into Hufflepuff.

Suddenly someone tapped at Harry's shoulder. When he turned around he found Hermione standing behind him. Spontaneously he hugged her and pulled her into their little circle.

"Draco, this is Hermione. She wasn't sure if she was crazy a few years ago, but it turned out that she's just a witch." Harry announced happily. Hermione seemed very nervous. Draco eyed her suspiciously.

"A muggle-born, then?"

Harry nodded.

Draco looked a bit irritated. "My father says that muggle-borns are not as noble as purebloods," he informed her. "Purebloods like us belong to a higher class."

Harry became angry. "Well, then, have fun in your higher class alone," he snapped and turned away. A hand on his shoulder held him back.

"My father also told me to make my own decisions." Draco told them. He turned to Hermione. "You don't look that bad." And he offered her his hand, too. Very self-conscious now, she shook it and spoke for the first time.

"Strange to meet you, Draco." And she smiled a bit. Draco grinned back.

"Awkwardness is all mine," he replied smoothly. Suddenly, when he spotted her brace, Draco jumped back a few feet.

"Is that some kind of weapon?" he asked anxiously. Obviously he hadn't been in the company of muggles very often, Harry thought, even he knew what a brace was!

Hermione seemed a bit confused, but then explained why she had to wear it and that no, it could not be used as a weapon. Draco still wasn't entirely convinced, he couldn't see why anyone would want to look like that when a mediwizard could fix her little problem in about five seconds.

Suddenly Professor McGonagall turned to them. "Move along," she called sharply, "the Sorting Ceremony is about to start. Form a line and follow me."

Feeling oddly as if his legs had turned into lead, Harry got into the line behind Draco, with Hermione behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall into the Great Hall. Many 'ooh's and 'aaah's were to be heard from the other first-years and Harry tried to picture how they felt, being here for the first time. He couldn't imagine living outside the castle and he was glad that he could stay here for at least the next seven years.

McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years and the Sorting Hat on top of it. Harry was eagerly waiting for the song, up to now he had always been allowed to watch the ceremony from next to Severus, beneath Severus' Invisibility cloak. Each and every year the Sorting Hat sang another song and each year at least one of the first-years screamed when the Hat opened its mouth. This year was no exception. Two girls – muggle-born, Harry excpected, glad that Hermione didn't show such a childish behaviour – screamed when a rip near the brim opened wide and the hat began to sing:


	4. The Sorting

Chapter 3 – The Sorting

_'Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see...._

Harry heard the red-head snorting about the girls that had squeaked when the hat had opened his mouth, but Harry definitely recalled him wincing too. Pretentious prat, really.

..._You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;'_

At this, Draco smirked at Harry and pointed at the Gryffindor table, where a silent fight about the best view on the first-years had started. Chivalry, indeed.

_'You might belong in Hufflepuff..._

Harry looked to his side to see Draco's two gorillas pretending to be sick. They really were astonishingly disgusting creatures.

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means _

_To achieve their ends.'_

At this Harry directed his gaze at the staff table, where Severus was sitting between the Headmaster and McGonagall's place, proudly looking down on Harry. Harry hoped that he wouldn't disappoint him by being sorted into Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

_'... I'm a Thinking Cap!'_

Wonderful. And now he had missed half of the song because of his staring. The hat bowed to all four tables which had broken into applause and then became quite still again.

McGonagall now stepped forward holding the parchment with their names on it. Harry missed what she told them when Draco pulled him nearer and showed him some Slytherins he already knew through his father's connections. So it came quite as a shock when suddenly "Granger, Hermione' was sitting on the stool, Hat falling deep down over her small head.

She had a very determined look on her face though and took a lot more time for the decision than the other students had. Finally, after a last quick glance at Harry and Draco the Hat announced loudly 'RAVENCLAW!'

Well, that had to be expected. After all she had waved around with her Chemisty book that excitedly that Harry should have known she was one of the studious people. He was relieved though that she had been sorted into an acceptable house, maybe they could keep on being friends...

After a little fat child with an ugly toad had taken his time on the stool – and ran off with the Hat still on, to Gryffindor of course – and a nice looking girl, Morag something, had been sorted into Slytherin, Draco was next. He swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the Hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, 'SLYTHERIN!'

Harry gave him the thumbs up and took a step forward. There weren't many people left now.

Nott and Parkinson, two unpleasant fellows, were sorted into Slytherin, too. Draco seemed to know the girl, Pansy, and Harry watched as he was introduced to the boy.

Then, after the twins Patil and Patil were sorted into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, Harry was next. When he stepped forward the hall suddenly broke out in loud whispering. The younger students craned their necks to get a better view of him and the violent red-head stared at him in disbelief and a little bit of awe. His bad. Now it was too late to play best friend. Harry had found out where his real friends were.

Sitting down on the stool he took a last glance at Draco and Severus, who nodded at him, before the hat fell over his eyes. Severus still didn't know that he had tried on the hat before, when he had been waiting for Dumbledore to meet him in his office. Unfortunately he hadn't had the time to talk to the hat for long then.

"Hmm," the hat whispered into his ear, "Not that much different from when you were younger. Enough skill and the wish to prove yourself... loyalty but a deep sense of self-preservation... And there's cunning, hmm, interesting. I think I know just where to put you."

Harry crossed his arms and thought of Severus and Draco. _Slytherin. I want to go to Slytherin._

"Are you sure?" the hat inquired mockingly. "Not rather Gryffindor?"

_No,_ Harry thought uncertainly, _I am sure. Slytherin._

"Well, if you are that sure, then.. SLYTHERIN!" he hat shouted and a stunned silence met Harry when he took off the hat. He glanced nervously at McGonagall, but she was whispering to Dumbledore who shook his head and motioned the next one to be sorted up to the stool. Severus caught his eye and nodded approvingly before turning to Dumbledore with an expression that seemed to say 'I told you so'.

When Harry arrived at the Slytherin table, loud cheering started and the other houses watched enviously as Harry was passed around and introduced to the other Slytherins until he finally arrived at the seat Draco had reserved for him.

In that moment 'Zabini, Blaise' was sorted the last Slytherin and joined them on Harry's other side. Draco introduced her to the others while Harry watched McGonagall rolling up her scroll and taking the Sorting Hat away.

Harry looked down on his empty silver plate. He had only just realised how hungry he was. Tea seemed ages ago.

Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was grinning madly at the students, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. And maybe it was like that. Harry had heard creepy stories about a dark wizard named Grindelwald, who had been that dangerous that it had almost been necessary to close the school, but then Dumbledore had defeated him.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin the banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Quickquack! Oafish! Gemini! Sage! Thank you!"

He sat back down. All the houses clapped and cheered stupidly, except for Slytherin. Draco and Blaise looked as if they didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he a bit mad?" Draco asked an older student uncertainly.

"Mad?" the boy said. "Certainly. But apart from that he's not all that bad. Potatoes?"

Harry smiled when he heard the new students' 'aaah!'s and 'ooh!'s when the food appeared on the table. Draco, however, seemed to be familiar with house elves since he gave no sign that something was wrong. The elder students farther up the table then started to talk about Quidditch and the House Championship. Harry knew Slytherin had won six years in a row now and that Severus was especially proud of that.

Suddenly that Bloody Baron swept up their table and even Draco couldn't suppress a squeak. But the ghost just floated away above the new students, with a small nod at Harry. Severus had always been on friendly terms with him and (even though he was a bit afraid of him) so had Harry.

When everyone had finished eating, the Gryffindors - greedy as ever and stuffing themselves with as much food as they could - being the last ones, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared. Then Harry first noticed that those Crabbe and Goyle fellows had been sorted into Slytherin, too. Just his luck. He decided to just ignore them and let his gaze sweep up to the High Table and started. The new DADA teacher was there! He must have arrived today with the students since Harry had never seen him before. According to Severus, who had been damned to sit next to him, he was a nervous fool who had no idea of the Dark Arts. Harry believed him. Quirrel was wearing a turban on his head and a chain with a silver cross around his neck. He was looking quite ridiculous, actually.

Then, suddenly, just when Harry was about to turn back to his pudding, a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on his forehead and vanished just as quickly again.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" Draco asked, turning back from his chat with Blaise.

"My scar hurts.." Harry complained and caught Severus' concerned gaze. He had already noticed that something was wrong with his young protégé, of course. Harry smiled a bit to show that he was all right.

Draco had followed his gaze. "You know Snape already?"

"I lived with him up to now," Harry answered surprised. "You do too?"

Draco nodded. "He used to visit my father a lot. But – you lived here in Hogwarts up to now?"

"Yes," Harry replied. They went on talking about Harry living at Hogwarts and Draco's home until Dumbledore got to his feet again and the Great Hall fell silent.

"Ahem – just a few words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling flashed into the direction of more red-heads at the Gryffindor table. There seemed to be a right invasion.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws looked frightened while a few of the Gryffindors laughed idiotically. Harry just kept looking at Dumbledore, he wanted to know the reason for the ban. But the Headmaster remained silent.

Draco smirked at Harry. "I'd like to see at least a flash of the painful death. Are you in?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically. Dumbledore wouldn't really hide something dangerous in the school and if he would, the better.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried. Harry didn't need to wait for the words to appear, he had heard the song often enough, in different tunes of course, for there was no fixed tune. Everybody sang the melody they wanted and the pace they wanted. Harry knew without looking that Severus was rolling his eyes in his seat up the High Table. He had never cared for this 'inane repeated assault to sane people's ears'. Harry thought it was a nice tradition and so did Dumbledore, apparently. He sang the song a few times a day, actually, in different tunes matching his current mood.

When they had finished - after the Gryffindors had made a show of themselves again - the students went off to bed. An older Slytherin Prefect lead the way into the dungeons, through a lot of fake walls and corridors. The first-years would have a nice time trying to find to the Great Hall the next morning. Harry, though, knew exactly where they were. Actually, it was not far from the main corridor in the dungeons and Severus' quarters. They had arrived in front of a bare wall with an engraving of two snakes, curled in themselves so that they built a ring. When the Prefect touched them and said _'Sitis Serpentis'_ they turned one time counter-clockwise and separated. A gap appeared, splitting the wall into two halves and the snakes formed into handles. The Prefect threw a look at the young students over his shoulder before he opened the door.

"Welcome to Slytherin."


	5. Welcome to Slytherin

Chapter 5 – Welcome to Slytherin

The next morning Harry was glad to find his way to the Great Hall in relatively short time. The other students had started to stare at him openly and he didn't like the feeling of being gawked at.

Luckily Draco could intimidate anyone with a simple glare back – as long as they were smaller than he was.

Harry had been lucky to be put into a dorm with Draco, losing the only friend he had made up to now was the last thing he wanted and Draco seemed to feel the same.

At breakfast they saw Hermione again and waved at her, but she had to take place at the Ravenclaw table. She seemed happy there, though, and she would be, taking into account that most Ravenclaws were considered bookworms and surely knew about 'chemisty', too.

Harry steered Draco away from the stupid gorillas Draco knew and found himself next to a red-headed girl. Zabini, Blaise he remembered from the Sorting ceremony yesterday.

"Good morning," she greeted them and shifted to make place for them.

"You just call the elves and they bring whatever you want. The Gryffindors still believe that you have to creep down to the kitchens... and they call us stupid!" an older boy just told the first-years.

"Passwords change weekly. If you're smart you won't need them anymore after about half a year."

Harry and Draco looked at each other in confusion. The boy laughed. "You'll know what I mean."

At breakfast Harry also heard what the new students thought about Hogwarts. Since very few of the new Slytherins were muggle-born most of them were used to ghosts, moving staircases and moving armours.

But the poltergeist Peeves, for example, was new to them too and constantly being watched for signs of impending mischief and dirty shoes didn't endear them to the caretaker Filch and his ugly cat either. All in all it wasn't much easier for those born into wizarding families to integrate into the community.

Harry stopped paying attention to their conversations after a while, he was barely able to sit still during breakfast, so eager was he to start his classes. For years he had had to listen to students talking about them, he had been allowed to listen to some of Severus' lessons, now he wanted to treasure the feeling of 'being old enough to go to school'.

Draco seemed more relaxed. He had told Harry that he had already tried a few spells and hexes he had found in books from his father's vast library at home. Apparently he had accidentally turned his table into a table with hooves instead of into a horse, which he found very amusing; his mother, however, didn't and demanded that he immediately remove his galloping table from the flower garden, where it had escaped to.

* * *

As it turned out, lessons were as great as Harry had imagined. His first class was an introduction to Hogwarts by the head of their house, Professor Snape. He had swept into the dungeons in his usual firm stride, Harry noticed that most students looked at him in apprehension and anxiety.

Severus closed the door behind him with a mere wave of his hand and stormed to the front of the room.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he began and then repeated, "Welcome to Hogwarts it may mean to most of the students, the students from Ravenclaw, from Hufflepuff and even to the Gryffindors. That greeting is not meant for you. Welcome to Slytherin."

An absolute silence had fallen the moment he had entered the room and by now the students barely dared breathe. They were already captured by the passion in his first words. Harry knew him well enough to see that he really meant what he said and the others felt it too.

"As a member of this house you will be a Slytherin in the first place, then a Hogwarts student. Peers will refer to you not as 'other students' but as 'Slytherins'. You'll have to work twice as hard as them, for not even teachers will judge you in a fair way.

"I presume you all know the dark wizard Grindelwald, the founder of this house, Salazar Slytherin, and the Dark Lord.

Those are the persons people think about when they hear the word 'Slytherin'. And they will judge you by those images. To them you are nothing but a bunch of children growing to be the next generation of dark wizards. Don't expect kindness, liking or even friendship from anyone but fellow Slytherins."

He paused and looked around him. His speech was taking effect like a drug. Suddenly all the students sat a bit straighter, tried to look more dignified. He caught Harry's eye and nodded. Then he carried on in a low voice.

"Don't expect anyone to help you when you are in need of help. Don't trust them, neither in good nor in bad times. The only ones loyal to you are Slytherins.

We may not belong to the big family the Headmaster claims Hogwarts to be, but we have our own family.

Your family stands by you if you stand by your family. You will bring honour to your family and prove yourself.

I will not be anything like your father or saviour. When you have a problem solve it or die trying. Your house will stand by you but it will not vanish any difficulties or dilemmas. You get the idea.

Welcome – in Slytherin."

After that, the students shifted uncomfortably in their seats and looked for something to turn their concentration to. They seemed quite unsettled, which surprised Harry, for there had been nothing new to him in this speech. This was just the way Slytherin was.

Draco was sitting next to him, since the first lesson. It had become natural for them to stick together, Harry was happy to notice that Draco kept clear of the gorillas, he seemed to know that Harry didn't like them and preferred Harry's presence.

After Severus' speech they left the dungeons and Severus showed them around the castle. They visited the library, several classrooms, the garden and the towers. After that they were free to go where they wanted, as long as they 'behaved accordingly'. Meaning in proper English: do whatever you want but don't let yourself be caught.

Harry took the opportunity to show Draco the kitchens. The older student had been right, it was not necessary to go down there, the elves fetched you anything you wanted, and more of it than ten grown men could eat, but Harry rather liked the atmosphere down there. He liked to hear the elves work around him, to see them prepare the delicious meals they then served for dinner and to talk to them, even though it made him feel a bit uneasy to be called 'Master'.

As Harry had expected, Draco loved to order the elves around. He didn't even seem to notice how bossy he was at times, but Harry didn't mind. The house elves took pleasure in being ordered around and were delighted to hear that the two boys planned to stop by more often in future.

But even for Draco bossing the elves about got boring after some time. They still had half an hour before their next lesson started and when Draco suggested to wander around upstairs some more, Harry didn't like the glint he thought to have spotted in Draco's eyes.

And true enough, after the second staircase they had climbed, Harry knew where Draco was heading – to the third floor corridor on the right hand side.

"Are we going where I think we're going?" Harry whispered behind Draco, who nodded and braced himself for the next flight of stairs.

As soon as he saw him nod, Harry sped up to stay close to Draco. He prayed that they would not be caught on their first day. Severus would not be very impressed and neither would the Headmaster be.

By the time they had reached the third floor Draco had slowed down considerably and frequently turned around to see if Harry was still behind him. At the top of the last staircase they turned right and sneaked down the corridor until they arrived at a wooden door.

Draco pulled at the handle.

"It doesn't move!" he hissed angrily, so Harry joined in and they put both their strength into it. Still, the door didn't move one inch. That was not normal, every door moved a bit, even when locked – unless it was magically locked.

"Of course!" Harry exclaimed, then quickly hushed his voice. "They don't want us to go in so they put a spell on the door!"

Draco drew his wand. "I know that one," he said confidently. Harry nodded and drew his wand too. Together they pointed at the door and whispered, "Alohomora!"

Slowly and silently the door clicked and swung wide open. Harry and Draco looked at each other and smiled in triumph. But their smiles soon turned into grimaces of horror when they spotted what had been hidden.

Behind the door a giant three-headed dog was standing – if it could even be called a dog. Three rows of feet-long fangs dripped with saliva and three pairs of blood red, mad eyes stared at them.

While the boys were paralysed with terror, the 'dog' seemed to be caught by surprise by the visitors. Then, his three huge noses started to smell them and he prepared to leap at them. Realizing what was to happen, Harry reflexively pushed Draco a few steps back and slammed the door shut again. He had almost succeeded when the monster managed to put a paw in between door and frame. That seemed to wake Draco from his shock and he threw a hex at the paw, which was pulled back almost at once.

"Claudo portam!" Harry panted with his last breath, and the door was firmly closed again.

"Thanks," Draco huffed and wiped sweat from his brow. He leaned against the door next to Harry. They stayed like that in silence and obvious relief for some time.

"The spell wasn't to keep us out," Harry mused, "it was to keep this in, whatever this is."

They were running down the stairs again, almost late for the next lesson with Professor McGonagall, their first Transfiguration lesson which Harry didn't want to miss, monster or no.

"It's called a Cerberos," Draco answered suddenly. "My nurse often told me stories about magical creatures but I don't remember much... I only know that these creatures are supposed to guard something... but I can't remember for my life what..."

Harry snorted. "I could have told you that too. Dumbledore wouldn't put a life threatening beast into the castle for nothing. The question is, what is it guarding?"

Draco shook his head. "No idea..."

They had arrived on the ground floor and joined the queue of first-years that were heading into the direction of the Transfiguration classroom.

"What would be precious enough to be guarded by such a thing?" Harry pondered loudly.

"What thing?" Hermione suddenly asked behind them. She had apparently come from the library, as her three bags seemed to be full of books.

Harry remembered that they had Transfiguration together with the Ravenclaws. One class where they would see Hermione... who was still watching them curiously. "What thing?" she repeated.

One by one the students filed into the class and Hermione too turned to find herself a seat. Harry and Draco sat down next to her. As soon as he had his parchment out, Harry wrote 'Later' on a piece of paper and gave it to Hermione. She read it and nodded at them, then they all concentrated on Transfiguration.

They only thing unsettling Harry was the mischievous glint in Hermione's eyes – the same as he had spotted in Draco's – but then, Harry wasn't sure what he would see if someone held a mirror in front of his own eyes at that moment.


	6. Plotting

Dearest readers, I am so sorry to be delivering this chapter weeks after I had planned to post it, but real life has given me hard and straining times AND this site was down, too. Times are over, uploading is possible again, chapters will follow sooner from now on. Promise!

zalil

Chapter 6 – Plotting

After Transfiguration they had lunch and some time for themselves. Hermione led the boys to a hidden corner in the library and they told her what they had found.

"..but we hexed it and closed the door in its face." Draco finished smugly.

Hermione pulled out a book from behind her. " _'Cerberos, Greek beast. Resembling a large dog with three heads the Cerberos is one of the most ancient beings in the world. It is extremely dangerous yet unbelievably tame when treated right. The Cerberos has highly sensitive ears and is very responsive to sounds. For hundreds of years many wizards died in the fight against a large specimen near Athens until one day a stray shepherd discovered-_ ' The page is torn here..."

"Wonderful. Now we don't know what he discovered," Draco sulked.

"Yes, we do," Hermione contradicted. "At least we know it's got something to do with his ears.. maybe we should attack his ears? Or pet them?" They shuddered. Harry didn't think that anyone – however brave they might be – would want to get as near to the monster as would be necessary to pet it, let alone touch it. Except for–

"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed suddenly. If there was someone who loved monsters more than anything else in his life, then it was Hagrid.

"The gamekeeper?"

"That great oaf? What's he got to do with the beast? Apart from the size, I mean..." Draco smirked.

"He's my friend," Harry went on with a sharp glance at Draco, "and he knows all about animals, magical as muggle."

Hermione studied his face for some time. "Could you wheedle that bit of information out of him?"

Harry thought about Hagrid. "Why not? I mean, as long as he doesn't know about this particular Cerberos, he'll tell me –"

"What are you three doing back here?" Madam Pince, the librarian appeared around the corner and scolded them for hiding there. "You're just waiting for the opportunity to sneak into the forbidden section, I'm sure. Now, off you go unless you have a permission..?"

They hastily shook their heads and hurried to get out of the library, though not without a longing glance at the red cord that separated the open from the forbidden part.

Harry suggested trying to find the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom already since their next lesson was about to start in a quarter of an hour anyway. On their way they met Professor Quirrel who was looking a bit distracted and stuttered that he was glad to meet them since he seemed to have lost his way.

Feeling a bit strange about leading a teacher to his classroom they went on without looking back at him, though their gazes repeatedly found each others'. Harry felt especially reluctant to turn his back on the bizarre man and pretended to have forgotten his DADA books. He didn't return to his dorm, but went the familiar way to Severus' quarters. He whispered the password and entered.

Severus was not here and the room seemed empty and deserted without him.

Harry left him a note saying that he missed him and that he'd visit him as soon as he had time. Thinking about Severus reading the paper, he smiled. He'd try to look as disgusted as he could

and then snort derisively 'Please don't.' But Harry knew he was anxious to hear how Harry liked his new life.

On the way back Harry passed the staff room and heard Severus talking inside. He briefly pondered knocking and asking for a minute with Severus, but then he caught the words 'danger for the children' and 'Devil's Snare'.

Well, the Snare sure was a danger for the children. Due to Severus' private tutoring Harry knew a fair bit about Herbology, which was absolutely crucial for Potion making.

Unfortunately Harry didn't remember anything about the Devil's Snare except that it was a dangerous plant and he could not imagine why someone would keep it on school grounds.

The conversation was still going on but Severus' voice grew louder. Harry realized that he was coming closer to the door and hurried on down the corridor. He didn't want him to think he was eavesdropping.

A few seconds thereafter the door opened and Severus stormed down the corridor toward the dungeons. He didn't notice Harry walking in the opposite direction.

Harry entered his class at the right moment. Quirrel was just about to tell them all about garlic and its many, many uses. Nobody paid attention to him and Harry got himself a seat next to Draco. Draco scutinized him closely. "Where did you go?" he whispered curiously.

"Not important. What do you know about the Devil's Snare?"

Somebody threw a piece of garlic at Quirrel, who ducked and continued his speech from behind his desk, almost crawling underneath it.

Draco snorted. "As much as I want to know - nothing. What do you know?"

Smiling, Harry said, "One is somewhere on school grounds. And I think we know where the dangerous things are placed here."

Draco's eyes glinted. "I think you should have a talk with your big friend soon."

As if called for, Balthazar swept down onto Harry's breakfast on Friday morning, bringing a note from Hagrid. It was an invitation for tea, Hagrid wanted to know all about how Harry was doing at school. On the note there were strange dark red stains; Draco claimed it was blood and had to do with the monster dog; Harry, who knew that Hagrid was a fan of beetroot, didn't quite believe this dramatic version.

He immediately wrote back 'Expect me around four. Harry' and sent Balthazar back. Several of the students stared in awe as the impressive eagle-owl took off, flew a round above the Gryffindor table for show and then disappeared again through a window.

The first class this day was their first Potions lesson with the Gryffindors. Harry was thrilled to see how much the other students already knew, and, of course, how Severus acted in proper lessons.

Harry, Draco and Blaise went down to the dungeons earlier than the rest, not wanting to displease the head of their house in the first lesson already. True enough, Snape appeared strictly on time and shut the door behind him with a loud thump. The students sat in silence, waiting for him to begin. Suddenly footsteps and shouting was heard from the corridor outside and four Gryffindors stormed in, among them the red-head and what seemed to be his best friend, a blond boy with a terrible Irish accent.

"So kind of you to grace us with the favour of your presence," Snape started in a sickly sweet voice. "Is there anything I can do for you, Mr...?"

The red-head squirmed uneasily and searched the room for an empty seat on the Gryffindor side. "Weasley. No, thanks –"

"WHO do you think you are?" Severus suddenly bellowed. "You will adress me as 'Professor' or 'Sir' at all times. Tomorrow I'll be waiting for your essays on 'How to properly adress a teacher', twenty inches; 'When to arrive for a lesson', thirty inches and 'Why insulting Slytherins is not good for you', fourty inches. Yes, I heard what you called Mr. Malfoy in his absence."

Harry and Draco looked at each other, barely holding back their glee – and surprise, they really hadn't heard what he had called Draco, though, frankly, they couldn't care any less.

"By tomorrow??" Weasley asked, horrified. "All three essays by tomorrow? That's not enough time!"

Severus smirked. "No, not all three essays,"

Weasley sighed in relief.

"- all four of them, including 'Why not to question a teacher's decision', fifty inches. And your friends can thank you for ten points from Gryffindor."

The Gryffindor side groaned and many threw dark looks at the completely baffled boy. He took a place in the last row then and tried not to attract more attention.

Severus then turned to Harry. "Ah, Mr. Potter, our new – _celebrity_."

The Gryffindor's laughed, plainly expecting Harry to get the same treatment as Weasley, but Harry wasn't afraid, he hadn't done any wrong.

Snape threw a dark look at them and they immediately silenced.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began in a low voice. Harry's mind trailed away. He had heard this speech so many times before.. he couldn't pay attention anymore. Severus had actually practised it in front of the mirror, like every year's speech.

".. as I ususally have to teach." he finished and glanced at the Gryffindor side. Of course they'd behave like every year's dunderheads, but this year at least some promising students had joined Hogwarts. Harry knew from Severus that Draco was quite talented and of course he counted himself. If there was one thing he could do (apart from annoying Severus, he could do that like noone else) it was brewing potions. Could that be a solution to their investigations? A potion?

Harry blocked Severus out again and nudged Draco's shoulder. "I know a way to get into the restricted section!" Draco stared blankly at him, he had been absorbing every single word of Severus' speech up to that moment.

"A way to get.." he repeated vacantly.

"A way to get into the forbidden part of the library, yes!"

At the word 'forbidden' Draco snapped out of his near-trance and tried to press Harry for information without appearing too suspicious.

"How? Why? When?" he whispered from the corner of his mouth.

Harry smiled. "We need a distraction!"

"Potter!" said Severus suddenly.

Startled, Harry turned his head towards Severus, who was standing directly in front of him.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry glanced at Draco, who was lazily waving his hand in the air. He seemed to be the only one who knew the answer; the Gryffindors looked totally stumped. Of course they didn't have any idea what Severus was talking of, Harry knew that Gryffindors hardly cared for potions.

"They make a sleeping potion," Harry explained, watching Weasley's head turn from white to red.

"It is so powerful that it is commonly known as the Draught of Living Death."

"Correct," Severus commented and Harry was sure to hear pride in his voice.

"Let's try again. Malfoy, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Draco's eyes shone as he answered. "I'd look into the stomach of a goat and hope you'd get better soon."

"Correct. Weasley, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Weasley looked as if he didn't have the faintest idea what the two of them were at all. "I don't know, Sir."

Severus' lips curled. "Tut, tut. Another five points from Gryffindor for not bothering to open your books. Weasley, this is not your day. Ten points to Slytherin for attentiveness and accurate knowledge."

The Gryffindor side was taking turns scowling at Harry and Draco and Weasley. Severus had ensured that the house rivalry had infected yet another year and over hating the redhead Harry and Draco almost forgot all about their plan, their monster and their potion.


End file.
